Mechanism for guiding cars from one track to another



(NoModel.)

J'. A. HEYL.

MBGHANIsM-'POR GUIDING GARS PROM'QNE TRACK To ANOTHER.'

Patented Mar. 25, l7

a ma. 'f

UNTTED STATES PATENT irren.

JOHN ADAM HEYL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANISM FoR euloflNecARs FRovj oNETRAcKi-o ANOTHER.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,640, dated lVEarch 25, 1884:.

` Application tiled August 16, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J orrN A. HEYL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, of the Gommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful improvement in mechanism for guiding a car or train from the main to the turn out track of a railway, or from the turn-out to the main track, as circumstances may require; and I do hereby declare the same to be described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of whichH Figure l is a top view ofthe main and turnout 4tracks and the trainguiding mechanism thereof.` Fig. 2 is a transverse section, taken through the toggle mechanism of the switching-guides, on an enlarged scale. Figs. 3 and et are opposite side elevations, and Fig. 5 an endview, of one of the said guides. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal'section of the operative mechanisn of the switchingguides. Fig.7 is an end view of one of the toothed depressors; and Fig. 8 is a transverse section of it, taken through its separable rack and pinion, on an enlarged scale. p

Instead of a switch arranged with the main and turn-out tracks of a railway in manner as represented in the United States Patent No.

219,095, granted to me, I employ,with respect` to my present improvement, 'what may be termed two switching-guides, and have for operating them mechanism as hereinafter explained. One rail, A, of the main track is continuedv by and disconnected from the next adjacent rail, B, of the turnout, the two being arranged as represented. The other rail ofthe main track is broken or interrupted, as

shown-at A and A2, the portion A2 of it being joined by a curve, A, with the other rail, B', of the turn-out. The part A of the main track terminates close to the Vjunction of the curve with the rail B, and is there made tapering in manner. as shown at a, the rail B being, in a similar manner tapered, as represented at b. The two switching-guides B R extend between the rails B and A, and also rearward relatively to them, in manner :as

shown, each of such guides being at one end provided with a notch or recess, c, to receive the adjacent portion of the rail on the guide being moved up to such position. Near its other end each guide is pivoted to a bar or plate, d, fastened into or to the top of one of the cross-ties e of the main track. The two guides B B are'also pivoted to a connectionpiece, C, extending from one to the other, and underneath each of them, near their recessed ends. ears', f, projecting upward from it, as shown, each pair beingslotted horizontallyandlengthwise of it, as shown at g, to receive the pivotal pin h of one of two toggles, t t', which at or near their inner ends are jointed to the upper arms ofa tri-armed lever, lc, aftixedon a long rod or shaft, Z, arranged midway between the rails of the main track. The

lower arm of the said lever extends down through a slot, m, in the connectionpiece C, and is joined to a toothed rack, lD, by means of a long connecting-link, n. This rack is adapted to slide in a standard, E, and engages with a pinion, o, fixed on a vertical shaft, p, provided at its upper end with an arm, and properly supported within the standard. The said arm is in two parts, q and r, which are hinged together, so as to render the handle part 1' capable of being turned or falling down into a notch, 8, in the head t of the standard E. By taking hold of the said arm and raising it,so as to turn the shaft p, the switching guides will be simultaneously moved, so as to carry either away from or up to the tapered rail next to it. The toggle of such guide and that arm of the triarmed lever to which such toggle may be connected will, when horizontal. operate to lock the guide, so as to prevent it from accidentally being moved out of place. So the handle part r of the arm, by falling into the notch s, will also further-lock the said guide. Besides the notch or recess c, each switching-guide is inclined at its front end, as represented at u, to enable the iianges of the car-wheels to ascend and run upon it, and is provided with a curved guide-ange, o, extended up from and from end to end of it, in manner as represented.

The shaft Z is duly supported in bearings in three standards, w, arranged as shown. At each of the outer standards the shaft is provided with a pinion, x, to engage with the rack 1/ of one of two depressors, G G, each of which, consists of a wide bar, terminating at its inner end in two prongs, c, that extend downward from it in parallelism with each other.

This connection-piece has two pairs of IOO ' rack y, secured therein by two screws, c.

Each .prong is recessed, as shown at b', there being arranged in the recess of one prong tlIie n the other recess is a filling-piece, d', which is likewise held therein by screws e. The lilling-piece serves to keep the rack in engagement with the pinion. By having the two prongs recessed and provided with the separable rack and Qfilling-piece the rack can be adapted to either prong and the iilling-piece l for the depressor to be used. Ihe two racks of the two depressors are to be on one side of the shaft, and each depressor at its rear end is to be pivoted to one of the cross-ties,or two short standards, f', projecting upward therefrom, as represented. Each depressor is to be moved downward by a wheel or some other proper substitute connected with a passing car or engine, such wheel or device being carried by the car or engine over and upon the depressors in succession, so as to force them downward, to cause the switchingguides to be moved to carry the guide B into engagement with the rail B of the turn-out, such being to insure the passage of the car or train along the main track and by the switchingguides, the setting of the guides for the passage of the car or train to and upon the turnout, or from it to and upon the main track, being effected by the mechanism to be operated by manual power.

It will be seen that when the guide R is in engagement with the rail B the handle part o' is in the notch s of the head tol' the standard E. Consequently such, besides serving as an additional means of locking the guides in position, will show to the engineer of the passing car or train that they are correctly disposed for the said car or train to keep the main track Without being directed to or upon the turn-out.

For the car or train to be run from the main track to and upon the turn-out, or from the turn-out to and upon the main track,the guides are irst to be moved so as Vto carry the guide B into engagement with the rail 'A and the guide R out of engagement with the rail B.

I do not claim, broadly, vtwo switchingguides in combination with the main track and turn-out, and provided with' mechanism forl operating them by manual'power. Besides such, I have connected therewith mechanism for automatically operating the switching guides to carry them into positions for a car or train to pass them on the main track, should one of them be in engagement with the turn-out.A In some cases one depressor will suffice; but by having two,with the switchingguides arranged between them, essentially as represented, theguides can be operated always before a car or train can reach them' in moving either way on the main track.

I claiml. The combination of a single depressor and its rack and the pinion thereof, and its shaft, with themain and turn-out tracks, the two switching-guides, the tri-armed lever, the toggles, the connection-piece provided with a rack and pinion or other suitable device, and mechanism for moving it, all being adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

2. 'Ihe combination of the two depressors and their racks and the pinions thereof, and

their shaft, with the main and turn-out tracks, the two switching-guides, the tri-armed lever. the toggles, the connection piece provided with a rack and pinion or other suitable devices, and mechanism for moving it, allbeing adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the notched headt and the arm, consisting of parts q and r,with the switching-guides R and R', and with the standard E, and the upright or driving shaft p, its pinion o, the rack D, link n, and the toggles and tri-armed lever applied to the connection-piece of the two guides, all being adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

4. The depressor furcated, and having its prongs provided with the separable rack, and lling-piece adapted and secured thereto, substantially as represented.

v JOHN ADAM HEYL. Vitnesses:

\ It. l-I. EDDY,

E. B.`I)RATT. 

